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I was banded on April 19, 2013. To date, I've lost 29 pounds and 15 1/2 inches!!!!! I'm so excited!

Welcome Gina! I had VSG on 9/2/10 and I also had a history of dvt's and pe's. I had my filter placed about 1 week before surgery, everything went fine and i'm doing well. They went in about 3 weeks after my surgery to remove the filter but they we unable to retrieve it.......the dr said that it's fine to stay there the rest of my life actually. I'm okay with that because I feel like I have protection in case I ever get another clot in my legs I know that it wouldn't be able to travel to my lungs like before. I wish you luck with you up coming procedures and your weight loss.

i didnt take it as you were being too harsh! you are right, they went to school for a reason. she isnt new to the lap band. they have been doing it here for 10 years i believe. so i'm sure she knows what she is saying! thanks for your input!

no one WLS is better then the next..all WLS require work and a mental change and a def change in eating habits and begin to exercise to make the most of whatever surgery one gets. the plication as my dr told me is my stomach folded into itself and stitched to make a small banana like (sleeve) if you will..it will (and has) helped me eat less and since this is a new procedure and still in early trials, i had to sign waivers on it...my dr did it pro bono for me....i was super morbid obese and the dr wanted me to have the bypass and i said no.....so he offered me this with the band but STRESSED that if didnt follow the lap band rules (eating my allotted amounts, stop eating junk food and begin to (move), no WLS would help me...... most WLS can and will help one lose at the beginning (the pre and post op diets helps with fast mainly all Water weight loss) and its amazing and its a confidence booster......and then when people REALIZE that they cant eat what they use too and just push it and overeat anyhow or not follow the rules, then the surgery isnt working..and 10 or more posts a day on this forum saying what am i doing wrong etc.. get whatever one you want but understand that its not a miracle....it will help you if you help it...i am living proof of that......but i also know/understand if i dont do my part the bypass, the sleeve or the DS or the band or plication wont work..people rush into WLS in my opinion thinking i had surgery and now i will automatically lose 100 pounds in a week..doenst work that way....a total mindset and attitude change is a must for success..esp when one was as large as me when i started..i either did it the right way, or got bigger...i had no other options.

Congrats. I get banded on 10/1. I am excited for us both

I live in the San Gabriel Valley, Covina near the 10/210 and 57 freeways. Glad to exchange email addresses if you like.

I am doing much better now. I have lost 74lbs since being sleeved on 2/19/13. Best wishes to you.

Hi Everyone, My name is Gina. I just joined this forum last week. I came across it by accident actually. I was researching information on the Sleeve procedure and I bumped into this wonderful forum. I've been hesitant to post anything because I am just learning about the procedure and diets, etc. But, I wanted to introduce myself. I am 33 years old. I just started my 2 week pre-op diet today. I'll be having surgery on 12/20/10. This forum has been a tremendous help on what to expect and how to prepare for this upcoming event! Surprisingly, I'm not really scared, I'm excited, I can't wait to start this journey, although it won't be an easy one. Has anyone ever had the VSG and had a filter inserted for DVT? I have history of blood clots and have been on Coumadin for over a year, but, my surgeon is going to have my Vascular surgeon come in and implant the filter to avoid the blood clots. I'm pretty sure I'll have more questions coming up, but, I just wanted to introduce myself. Gina

I have sizes 24-10, and I can't WAIT to donate each size as it gets too large. I have several plus-sized friends who are happy to have the clothes, and I'm thrilled to give them my stuff. I'm only about 6 weeks out and have ditched bags and bags of stuff; coats, summer stuff I'll never wear again, 24s, 22s, 20s, and coming up on some 18s that are vanity sized. I think a 14 for summer is realistic, and for $3, even if it's not -- or you blow by it, who cares at $3. It is a little panic-inducing at first, like, am I REALLY never going to need these clothes again? Really?

Hi everyone, I just had a question that you guys may know the answer to. Or maybe someone is dealing with this too? I was sleeved 11/30. My surgery went great and I am losing weight well. However, on Monday I ate a piece of soft tofu and steamed broccoli. (I have been eating soft foods since week 3- per my Surgeons orders.) 10 minutes later, I had severe abdominal pain that radiated to my back. I vomited just a little and had to go to the ER. The pain went away after 40 minutes. Had a CT and labs done. Everything was normal. No gallstones, no leak, no elected liver enzymes. Potassium was a little low. The doctors just called it gastritis. I saw my surgeon the day after and he said it was very hard to get gastritis while taking nexium or any PPI. Got an ultrasound done which really didn't show anything. So since then, I've been eating fine (miso Soup, soft seafood, Protein shakes, yogurt, light cheese). Until today... I had 1 scrambled egg (which I usually eat). 10 minutes later, I had the same attack. Severe pain, nausea... No vomiting though. The pain went away within 15 minutes. Does anyone have any idea what this could be? My sleeve is great, no leak, healed staple line. Gallbladder is fine- no stones. And each time this happened, I did not overeat.

There is no way to know how long it will take YOU to feel comfortable going back to work. That said, here is my story: I was sleeved on 10/19/11, released from the hospital on 10/21/11 and back at my desk job 10/25/11 only because I don't like my jerk of a boss and decided I needed Monday as a "me" day. My doctor said he wanted me out for at least two weeks but I cannot just sit at the house for that long (especially since my time off was unpaid). I heal rather quickly though. The biggest challenge for me so far has been my emotions. I was not allowed to take my birth control (hormone balancer), my mood stabilizer, or my antidepressant for three days. This threw me WAY out of wack emotionally. I am just starting to get back to my normal self. Another challenge has been that I work in a large room of cubicles with about 200 other people who all seem to have great smelling lunches. Oh and there were back to back pot luck lunches yesterday and today. Smelling all that food and then drinking my lunch is tortorous! This too shall pass once I can actually chew something. At home, I don't have a problem. I hope I have helped you or someone else in some way with this post.

I'm on day 7 of my pre-op (Band goes on tomorrow!) and I was not given a calorie goal, I have been limited to 20 grams of protein per day. (A Carnation SFInstant breakfast with 1% has 13 grams!) Amazingly, I'm OK, and I've lost 19 lbs this week.

Well I told my mom and dad and my husband - and my kids (who are 6 and 10) but my dilemma lies in the fact that I have had a lot of surgeries- and there is a small group that are always there for my husband- ie- they bring him meals to the hospital, they pray with him (for me and him), they talk with him about his feelings and what he is going thru while I am in surgery or keep him distracted so he isn't worrying so much- so he doesn't understand why I don't want any of them to know- and in a way I feel I should for his sake- (I know as my spouse he will be experiencing- me good, bad and probably ugly) so I know sometimes he will just need to stop and get off from this emotional rollercoaster that I am on- and I am ok with that- but I still in the back of my mind- just dont want to tell them- but probably will- for his sake- (and then the other side of me says- ok -so here you go putting what you feel and want behind the needs of others- while the other side says - I love him- and he loves me- I need him to be ok- so he can be there for me) OH What to do....

Most stores that have brand name Vitamins run a BOGO sale once a month when you can stock up for basically half price. I take gummy vitamins and B12. The B12 is something like $10 and it lasts a month or longer. Gummies are not much more expensive and also last awhile. You don't need to buy the specialty bariatric vitamins. As an extra note, I didn't take any vitamins regularly for the first year of the sleeve and all of my blood test values were exactly where they should be without supplements. I generally forget to take the B12 until I feel like I'm tired more than i should be, then I take it for a few days and forget about it again. While yes, vitamins are important, their total cost is really very insignificant when you aren't blowing money on the bariatric version that is really no better than the standard kind you buy at CVS. I have heard that gummy vitamins may not be absorbed as well, so research that for yourself. I take them because regular vitamins make me incredibly sick and I figure double the dose of a gummy Vitamin beats no vitamins at all.

I gained about 12 pounds in the 6 month "Physician assisted" weight loss attempt. My surgeon doesn't submit paperwork till you've completed this step. I was close as far as qualifying BMI wise at 36 (35 with co-morbidities was the cut off), when I started the 6 months so losing before I qualified wasn't an option, AND my PCP had just started me on a statin, which can cause weight gain. No one cared. What my surgeon DID care about was AFTER I was submitted I did have to lose 10 pounds for liver shrink within the 4 weeks before surgery. I dropped 13.

For the first time in our 12 year relationship (10 years of marriage), I weigh less than my husband! I still have a lot to lose and he could stand to lose a few, too, but I have always been at least 20 pounds heavier. He actually seemed genuinely excited for me, too. I think he's looking forward to being able to pick me up and carry me around. Still got a long way to go before I get there, but a girl can dream. I told him to start hitting the weights now, though.

What Protein Powder do you recommend? I'm overwhelmed with the choices and am starting to sample different shakes to see what I want to get for my 10 day preOP. Premier are okay, but even a little too sweet. I'm a fruity person. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I was sleeved on 3/10. I sort of layes on my side in the hospital on night 2. The nurse pushed a pillow under my back. Last night was my first night home and I slept in my bed and started on my right side and middle of night switched to left side. It was sore at first to get in that position but once there it was great! I rolled up a blanket and put it under my belly.

I was also sleeved on 10/23 & was experiencing the same pain in chest after sipping until yesterday. Then something clicked & I can swallow pain free now. Mind you, they are still small sips...but I'll take it! As far as pain, I'm still dealing with gas pain & it was way worse than incision pain. I COULD NOT stay awake for anything the entire day of surgery. It's gradually gotten better. I'm sleepy but not exhausted. And I've had plenty of energy to run errands & stay active all week. Best of luck to you all!!

I had to take the caraface liquid for just 10 days. It is to keep your stomach coated while it is healing. My surgeon told me the only thing that I would have to continue to take "forever" is my Vitamins. I will have to take zegrid (acid reducer) for 6 months.

I ended up cutting my basals in half when I started my preop week of clears that was really helpful. My endo gave me "permission" to drop each basal by 10% if I was getting lows so I was able to resolve it pretty quickly. Glucose tabs as much as I hated them did the trick for me.

Hi, I'm late to the party but wanted to reply. I've had T1DM for 18 years, been pumping for 10. I'm having sleeve surgery on 8/21 and have the same fears about low bgs. Im doing my 2 week pre-op diet now and have had some lows, but nothing a little juice couldn't fix. Do you have a CGM? I do, and don't wear it frequently now due to site issues, but plan to more once I'm back at home after surgery, to help catch lows before they happen.

Following! I got pregnant after lap band but only after 4 years of fertility treatments and 2 IVFs later. Hoping to get sleeved in January and would like to try and conceive again in 2019!

I need some advice. I don't know if I'm imagining things or not. Sorry this is so long. I've been having a weird problem leading back some time. I just went to the doctor (my PCP) and had stellar reports. Part of the follow up was to schedule a colonoscopy. The doctors office did the referral call and within a few days I got a call telling me to expect a packet in the mail with the schedule and other information in it I would need. Well I got it yesterday and my colonoscopy is scheduled for 1/4/2013 - 8 FREAKIN' MONTHS OUT! I could see a month or two, maybe even 3 - but 8 MONTHS OUT? When I called THE gastroenterologist's office asking about it the woman in charge of scheduling hemmed and hawed and never gave me an answer as to why so long a wait. I directly asked her if ALL patients are asked to wait 8 months and she would NOT answer me. This is not the first referral I have had to wait and wait for either. I had kidney stones a few months back and my PCP recommend I go to a urologist to get to the bottom of this third stone attack. I waited and waited and a MONTH later the urologists office called and asked if I still wanted to see the doctor. I was told it would be a 1 to 2 month wait to get in. This seems a little absurd to me. Since the symptoms went away I just skipped it. A while back I had a bit of cancer removed from my chest skin, it was squamous cell carcinoma. I asked to see an oncologist as this is the cancer that killed my Dad (albeit lung cancer). The referred doctor NEVER called back. Is this just dumb luck? We are in NW Arkansas, believe it or not an area of the country that is prosperous and has remained pretty well off in the recent economic downturn and is literally PACKED full of medical professionals. Two fairly large hospitals are within 10 miles of my house and others just 20 or so miles. I mean, really, 8 months for a colonoscopy? Am I being "targeted"? I can't imagine why. I have great insurance and have always paid all my bills. It makes the 6 month wait some have had for the VSG like a walk in the park. This year I switched to a high deductible insurance with a medical savings plan. is that an issue? I DO have the money for the entire deductible all ready and we are already almost half way through our $4500 deductible.. My PCP DID have some legal problems with the largest medical group in the area, he ended up being sued and counter suing them and WON. Would they be low enough to put his patients at the BOTTOM of a "list" - or is it the TOP of a sh*t list? Who can help me figure this out? The PCP's office just sort of brushed me off. I wonder if the doctor actually knows this is going on. Short of setting up another appointment to speak to him what else can I do? Am I just impatient or do you all think something else is going on?

Someone the other day posted an article called The Fat Trap. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-fat-trap.html?pagewanted=all Very interesting.